


Wernicke’s Aphasia

by TonyMasters (orphan_account)



Category: Fantastic Four (Comicverse), Marvel 616, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Casual Sex, Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-15 22:04:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21025457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/TonyMasters
Summary: Torch has the sneaking suspicion Spider-man is sleeping around New York City, amassing his body count with any hero (and villain!) that’ll say yes.  And who wouldn’t say yes to that ass?The only question is… why hasn’t Johnny been asked yet?





	Wernicke’s Aphasia

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know. Help

“Hey, c’mon, Hornhead. You don’t want me to stick around so we can chat?”

“I’d rather you leave so I can get back to work.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were kicking me out.”

“I am, and you’re about to be pushed off that windowsill if you keep loitering.” Despite the threat, Matt’s voice softened. “Call me if you need something, but _ only in an emergency. _ Got it?”

“Does ‘needing emotional support’ count as an emergency?”

“Out.”

Daredevil made good on his word and tipped Spider-Man out the window, his bright, crimson glove shining in the reflected street lights dotting Hell’s Kitchen. His graceful fall wasn’t without an audience, even this high up on the tenth story.

Johnny hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, he swears.

On his way back home from a date gone disastrously wrong, Johnny had been cruising through the skyline, trying to burn off the embarrassment from being publicly rejected.

How lucky was it, then, that he happened to catch a glimpse of Spider-Man off in the distance. Infinitely glad to see his best friend, and wanting nothing more than to vent and cry on his webbed shoulder, Johnny hightailed it towards his tiny silhouette.

He was about to get Spidey’s attention when noticed him crawl through a window into a building Johnny’d never seen before. 

The window hadn’t been open a moment ago, and a hand on the bottom of the panel clearly meant that someone had opened it for the webslinger. Suspicious, but mostly curious, Johnny decided to creep closer so he could hear what was going on inside.

It was then that he’d heard that… _ interesting _conversation. Had Spidey always sounded that flirty? Maybe so, but that was only when he was around Johnny. Or so he thought.

“Hey, Spidey!” Johnny shouted from the rooftop, watching the eyepieces on Spidey’s mask widen before he used his annoyingly perfect reflexes to web himself up next to Johnny.

“Flamebrain? What’re you doing here?” He sounded nervous for some reason, so Johnny let his flames extinguish so he could get a better look at him.

Spider-Man didn’t look injured, at least not from what Johnny could tell through the suit. Though, looking closely… had Spidey put his top on wrong? Why was the hem stuck in the lower part of his suit?

Oh. Johnny knew what was going on. Bile rose at the back of his throat.

“Glad to see _ someone’s _getting some tonight. We can’t all be so lucky.”

“Uh… what?”

Playing dumb. Classic when Spidey did it to his opponents, annoying as hell when he turned it on Johnny.

“That was Daredevil in there, wasn’t it? ‘Hornhead’?”

A few beats of silence. “Yeah, but… Torch, if you’re implying what I’m thinking you’re implying, you’re dead wrong. We’re not-”

“No, no, it’s fine.” His bitter tone definitely didn’t convey the visage of _ fine _ that Johnny wanted to convey. “I just wanted to talk. Shoot the shit, you know?”

“Wait, weren’t you supposed to be on a date with that-”

“_ Yeah, _ of course I was supposed to be on a date, but guess what? Turns out she just wanted to lure me into Times Square so she could reject me in front of a thousand tourists - _ for the clout. _” Seething through his words, Johnny suddenly felt more tired than he had in weeks, dropping onto his ass and curling his knees in towards his chest. 

Without hesitation, Spidey put a hand around his shoulders and tugged him close. Probably just to shield himself from the cold night wind buffeting them.

“Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I don’t think the Bugle’s gonna be publishing that mess.”

“How would you know?” Johnny peered out from behind the fingers covering his face.

“I know the photographer. He was… out sick today.”

“You know the - wait, is this that Parker guy? The one always taking amazing shots of you and amazingly shitty shots of me?”

Snorting, Spidey let go of his shoulder and jabbed his elbow into Johnny’s side. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Dude, the last three out of five photos caught you doing graceful flips in the air and me getting slammed in the face by a rogue flying SUV.”

Spidey was still chuckling, and Johnny hip-checked him off the roof. Grinning at his shout of indignation, he crouched down to where Spidey had caught himself on a window and said, “Where was your spider-sense for that?”

“You’re hardly a danger.” Johnny could hear the eyeroll in Spidey’s voice. “Anyways, if it really matters that much to you, I’ll tell him to get at least one good shot of you so you’ll calm down.”

Preening, Johnny extended a hand to help Spidey back onto the roof. “Good. Beef’s over. I gotta jet, but you think we could meet up for dinner later?”

“Where, the usual?” Spidey tilted his head to the side, brushing the dirt off his suit.

Nodding, Johnny flamed-on and jumped backwards off the roof. “It’s a date!” His mood was lifted, thoughts of that horrible incident in Times Square long gone.

* * *

“Spidey, what the - what the hell happened to our dinner date?!” Johnny yelled, flamed-on and hovering above a rooftop on the outskirts of Central Park. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like Spidey could hear him over his currently ongoing fight with… a dude in a skull mask and hood? Weilding a sword? What the hell had Johnny walked - flown - into?

Whatever. He’d just keep floating there, five yards away from the action, impatiently waiting for Spidey to fucking _ notice him already. _

Grunting, the masked - wait, both of them were masked - _ hooded _ guy shot what looked like an electrified bola at Spider-Man. Johnny wasn’t worried. Spidey’s suit was up to snuff, and Johnny’d seen him walk out of way worse unscathed.

“I think we’ve got an audience,” The guy thrust - heh, thrust - his sword at Spider-Man, waiting for him to dodge out of the way so he could try and bash him with his shield. “Johnny Storm. Spider-Man, I’m disappointed. I didn’t take you to be the type to associate with known _ idiots _.” 

Hey, Johnny resented that, thank you very much. He may not have the brains of his brother-in-law, but he wasn’t _ stupid. _But before he could dish out a witty retort - 

“Watch out, Tony. He’s about to whine at you about his brain being just as big as his… well, you know.”

Even the grace with which Spidey flew through the air as he latched his web onto a ledge didn’t squash Johnny’s rapidly building annoyance.

Also, what? _ Tony? _

Since when did Spidey refer to the people trying to kill him by their first name? Johnny tried not to sound _ too _ bitter, but the fact that Spidey only rarely called _ him _by his first name did sting a little.

“Don’t make me bring an outsider into this fight,” _ Tony _ grumbled, kicking Spidey square in the chest and forcing him to flip off the ledge, only to swing back around the opposite side of the building. 

Latching a web onto Skeletor’s chest plate, Spidey yanked himself into him and drove both his feet right into his mask. Johnny was surprised it didn’t break, and was infinitely disappointed that he was robbed of the opportunity to see that mask crumble.

Why was he so angry, again?

Oh, right. This rando was totally taking away from his precious alone time with Spidey.

“If you two are done, we have reservations at-”

“The diner doesn’t take reservations, Flamebrain.”

Johnny let out a frustrated groan. “I know! I’m just trying to get this dickweed off our backs!”

The lack of answer to Johnny’s exclamation was worrying, to say the least. Now that he was thinking about it, it did seem like _ Tony _and Spidey were pulling their punches the slightest bit.

Perching on a higher ledge, Spider-Man held up his hand in _ Tony’s _direction. “Sorry, Tony. Looks like the fun’s over.”

_ Tony _sheathed his sword, and Johnny could swear he could see the disappointment in his body language. “Later, then. You know how to find me.”

As the hooded jackass dove off the edge of the roof, Johnny watched in absolute horror as Spidey waved doofily - or as doofy as he could look with that stupid mask still on.

“Can you _ please _explain what the fuck just happened.”

“What needs explaining?” Spidey shrugged, launching himself into the air with ease to get a headstart. 

Letting out a frustrated hiss, Johnny quickly flew after him, having trouble staying within earshot to actually have a conversation about what the fuck that was. “I’ve never seen that guy in my life, and it looked like he was trying to kill you! But, like, not?”

Spidey sighed, and Johnny really wanted to find _ Tony _ at that moment and singe every article of clothing on his body in revenge. “We were _ sparring _. That’s it.”

“And you call everyone you spar with by their first name.” 

Silence.

Shaking his head, Johnny touched down a block away from their favorite diner and shot a few bursts of flame past Spidey’s head, just to get a rise out of him. All that did was make the web-head laugh that stupid, infuriating laugh that sounded like windchimes gently ringing on a breezy fall evening.

“You sound like you’re jealous.”

Sure, he was jealous that his _ best friend _ was being monopolized by some crazy weirdo in a hockey mask and hood. “I’m just fucking _ confused! _” 

That seemed to get Spidey to sober up a little bit, and he put a hand (which was _ totally _ not welcome right now, thank you very much) on Johnny’s shoulder as he sincerely said, “I’m sorry for keeping this from you, but I didn’t intend to. Tony’s just… a guy I’ve ran into during patrols, lately.”

Sure, that’s all it was. Still suspicious, Johnny let Spidey order for them as he stared at that unblinking mask.

“If you don’t tell me the truth, I’m going to steal your fries and stuff them in your milkshake.”

Childish, sure, but Spidey’s gasp of horror indicated that the threat might have worked. “Alright, alright. Man, what did my fries ever do to you?

“He’s - well, remember when you saw me fall out of Daredevil’s window? And you tried to get me to admit I was sleeping with him… yeah, that was never happening - but…”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. 

“It might be, now?”

Johnny froze, tongue feeling heavy and numb behind his lips.

“Torch? Torch! You’re melting the upholstery!”

Ah. So he was. Taking deep breaths and long sips of water, Johnny finally relaxed - though his critical gaze on Spidey never wavered. “Matchstick, do you… have a problem with me sleeping with an anti-hero-”

“Holy shit. He’s an _ anti-hero - _ did you learn _ nothing _after Deadpool?”

He was rolling his eyes under that mask, Johnny just knew it. “Don’t give me that sass, young man.”

Snorting, Spidey retorted, “Who are you, my aun - mother? I can sleep with whoever I want to. Christ, I’m a grown adult, Johnny.”

“I know that!” He tried to ignore the shiver that went down his spine every time Spidey used his first name. Johnny knew, but for some reason, it still bothered him - probably far more than it reasonably should have. “Anyways. Your fries live on to see your stomach while _ not _being covered in strawberry milkshake. But you’re on thin fucking ice, man.”

Fry hanging off his bottom lip after he’d rolled his mask up halfway, Spidey simply shrugged. “Hey, you wouldn’t be judging me this hard if you’d seen what Taskmaster has to offer. Just his voice alone-”

“Dude, shut up!” Johnny groaned, flicking a burnt fry into Spidey’s face. Though, he had to admit… the few words _ Tony _spoke to (about) him were intoxicatingly deep and…

Wait - no, no. He wasn’t about to let Spidey derail yet another serious conversation. 

“Spidey, you’re my best friend. I don’t… I don’t like it when you keep secrets from me, aside from the ones you _ have _to keep.” The words sounded pathetic to Johnny’s own ears, but Spidey’s lips parted the slightest bit, as if he were drawing in a breath of sympathy.

Shaking his head, Spider-Man put down the fry in his hand. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking.” The genuine remorse in his voice was more than enough to quell Johnny’s confusing, yet still tangible reaction of anger to the news. “I’ll… I’ll make sure to tell you the next time I… er… hook up with someone?”

Well. 

That was the exact opposite of what Johnny wanted.

And yet, there was no way to explain it to Spidey without completely giving away his feelings. Feelings that solely included jealousy, he swore.

Smiling with gritted teeth, Johnny said, strained, “Thanks, Spidey. Great talk, but I have to go.” He slid out of the booth, leather still sticky from his earlier emotional outburst, and threw two twenties onto the table. He knew Spidey hated when he paid, and the pettiest part of Johnny wanted to take what little spiteful victories he could from this disastrous dinner date.

Tony. Fucking _ Tony, _Johnny grumbled under his breath as he flamed on, shooting up into the sky so fast that he didn’t hear Spidey call after him.

* * *

Christ. When was Johnny gonna catch a break and stop having to be witness to Spider-Man’s illicit nighttime trysts? 

It wasn’t like he walked into this like he had when he followed Spidey to Daredevil’s apartment. He’d finally picked up Spidey’s calls after their dinner date was cut short, feeling appropriately calmed down from some alone time where he may or may not have spent a few hours (minutes) with his hands down his pants, imagining just what the hell Spidey and _ Tony _had been doing before Johnny had shown up.

_ Meet up at our spot? _Spidey’d said, and Johnny could never say no to meeting his best friend on top of the Statue of Liberty.

_ I’ll be there in twenty, _He’d replied. He got there in ten.

Stretched out and prone on the edge of Lady Liberty’s torch, Johnny was scrolling through his phone with one hand with his other pinned beneath his head when he heard footsteps behind him. 

On the other side of the torch, voices began to argue - and far be it for Johnny to be above (even more) eavesdropping.

“You shouldn’t have followed me here, Felicia. I told you I just wanted some privacy.”

“Scared of what you’ll do when you’re alone with me?”

Curiosity burning, Johnny peeked around the side of the barrier between them to try and get a good look at who had just touched down. 

Of course, one of them was Spidey - who else could have made it up here at this exact time - and… Black Cat? 

Them showing up here together could mean any number of things, and - oh, no. God, no, Johnny pleaded silently, angrily glaring daggers at the valley in the center of Felicia Hardy’s cleavage. 

Spidey was eventually able to shoo the nuisance away, which was fortunate - there was no way Johnny could have run the fuck away without alerting the both of them of his presence. Slinking out of the shadows, Johnny mumbled, “I thought we agreed you’d tell me about your hookups.”

Honestly, Johnny didn’t know what he wanted. The prospect of having Spidey be all excited about his sexual escapades right in front of him was bad enough, but he sure didn’t want to find out about this stuff like _ this. _

Spidey started, letting out a short yelp that Johnny refused to let himself think was _ adorable _. “Johnny - Torch, what the hell? I thought you weren’t supposed to be here for another five minutes!”

“Got here earlier than I thought I would,” Johnny lied, shrugging. “So. When were you gonna tell me you and Black Cat were back together? I can’t blame you, but… jeez, Spidey. We just talked about this.”

Shaking his head vehemently, Spider-Man strode up to him so they could talk face-to-mask. “No, I was just on patrol and she followed me here, I swear. I wouldn’t keep this from you.”

Johnny believed him, but something still didn’t sit right, his chest constricting uncomfortably - and it wasn’t from the high altitude. All but deflating, Johnny rested his forearms on Spidey’s shoulders, head hanging in the space between them. 

“Sorry. I know - I know I’m being weird. You don’t have to tell me about this kinda stuff, it’s not against the bro-code or whatever.” There were a few beats of silence, but Spidey put a hand on Johnny’s back, rubbing comforting circles that rose goosebumps on his skin even through the suit.

He had to lighten the mood. Things were going to get awkward fast. “So… the picture on the front page of the Bugle wasn’t looking too bad, huh? Parker finally got me in a good pose, for once.”

“Told you I’d talk to him,” Spidey murmured, pulling back. No, not yet - it was too soon for them to break their hold, Johnny didn’t want to let go - 

The wind had never felt so cold. Flaming on so Spidey couldn’t see him shiver, Johnny sighed. Thinking feverishly of something to say, he realized that _ Spidey _ had been the one that called their meeting, and it hadn’t been one of Johnny’s pining requests to see the web-head again after their little break that brought them together.

“Sorry for bolting the other day.”

“I would be complaining more if you’d left me with the check, Storm.” It was a bad joke, but Johnny found himself chuckling regardless. “But really, did I say something that hurt you?”

“No, well… you know how the oil hits my stomach after I eat too many of those fries.”

One of Spidey’s lenses narrowed. “You didn’t eat a single one of the fries we ordered.”

Did Spidey _ have _ to be this annoyingly perceptive all the fucking time? Thankfully, Johnny was a quick thinker. “I got some when I got tired of waiting for you to show up. You know. While you were busy fucking-”

“_ Woah _ hoh ho, that’s enough of that. You know what, Torch, you seem pretty high-strung these days. Maybe _ you _ need to get laid?”

Johnny choked on his own spit, almost careening off the ledge before Spidey caught his arm. Thank god for his flame-resistant suit.

Taking deep breaths, Johnny coughed, “With who?! You know how badly my dates go.”

“What about with another super?”

Spidey couldn’t be - no, there was no way. No way that Spider-Man was offering to be Johnny’s _ fuck buddy _, of all things.

The worst thing was, he didn’t want to be _ fuck buddies. _ He wanted something _ more, _and wasn’t that the corniest thought he’s had all month. “Thanks for offering, but I prefer to keep my friendships and my romantic relationships separate.” So what if he sounded just a tiny bit bitter? 

“Huh?” Johnny gave Spidey a split second before the realization hit him. At least his dorky flailing made up for the momentary stress he’d just caused with his suggestion. “No! No, I mean - well - not that I _ wouldn’t _, but - ugh, you know what I meant, you asshole.”

“Sure did, web-head,” Johnny grinned, though the smile was a bit forced. He needed out of this conversation _ now. _ Propelling himself a few feet into the air, Johnny gave Spider-Man a short salute to accompany his farewell. Running away from Spidey seemed to be his specialty, these days. “Right, well, I’ll see you later. Dinner’s on you next time,” he said, just to mollify Spider-Man and his weird inability to accept favors.

Without waiting for a response, Johnny flew off into the distance, unable to get Spidey’s words out of his head. Maybe he was right. Maybe sleeping with another superhero was just the thing Johnny needed to get out of this stupid funk - to get over Spidey and his chronic romantic disinterest in his best friend. 

Though, this time the first meeting wouldn’t be in public. He dreaded the thought of another ‘Times Square Incident’ that would drive him right back into Spidey’s arms.

* * *

A week had passed, and sometime in the late afternoon, Johnny found himself unsuccessful in all his superhero-boning ventures. He didn’t want to bother the X-Men - dealing with Logan and Xavier would be far too much of a handful to justify a one-night stand with any of them. The Avengers were a bit too lofty for Johnny’s taste, and anyone else, well.

They weren’t Spider-Man, that was for sure.

Besides, Johnny had that particular reputation of being a flirt, a playboy with no regard for his partner’s feelings (which was _ patently _untrue, he should sue whoever published that rumor first for defamation). There was a reason he hadn’t been getting any gentleman or gentlewoman callers in his line of work.

So, Johnny reasoned, maybe the next best thing was to approach someone tangentially involved in the world of superheroing. Some of those SHIELD agents were definitely eye candy, but again. None of them would be caught dead fraternizing with the infamous Johnny Storm.

Trying to think through his rapidly dwindling pool of options, Johnny just happened to fly by a familiar figure snapping pictures in the distance. 

Of course! Who better to approach for a one-night stand than an errant photographer with nothing to do with his personal or professional life? Well, not _ nothing _, but definitely nothing substantial.

Flying full speed at the photographer, Johnny watched as the guy slowly lowered his camera, eyes wide and body still even as Johnny’s flaming figure barreled towards him.

Stopping his momentum right in front of Peter Parker, Spidey’s favorite photographer, he flamed off and dropped lithely onto his feet. “Nice weather today, huh?” So what if he wasn’t putting much effort into his pickup lines or banter. He wasn’t here to make friends, was he?

“If I’d have known it was gonna start raining superheroes, I would’ve brought an umbrella.” Oh, wow. Johnny had never talked to Parker before, but they’d get along just fine if he always had that smart of a mouth. The fact he was probably immune to being starstruck from being Spider-Man’s friend was a definite plus, too.

Something about the guy just made it impossible for Johnny to put up his usual barriers upon first meetings, and he draped an arm over the photographer’s shoulder. “You been getting good photos today? Show me what you’ve got on me, Parker.”

Parker stiffened under the sudden contact, but he didn’t tell Johnny to fuck off, which he counted as a win. “Was the front-page spread last week not enough for you?” Chuckling, he raised his camera so the both of them could look through the gallery - it all felt so positively _ domestic, _and oddly familiar. “Here, I think I got your good side when you and Spider-Man were fighting Doctor Doom a while ago.”

“Excuse me? I’ll have you know I don’t _ have _a bad side, thank you very much.” Johnny let out a semi-serious grunt of indignation, which Parker laughed at - rude.

Though, Johnny couldn’t find it within himself to be mad for too long. That smile… it did funny things to Johnny’s heart.

“Yeah, whatever you say, Torch.” Lowering his voice a few octaves and decibels, Parker sneakily wrapped an arm around Johnny’s waist. “So, is this a work call, or something more personal?”

Johnny froze. Had he made it _ that _ obvious?

“I can show you these pictures in private, if you want. I’ve got a stakeout room in a motel three blocks away from here.” Or, maybe Parker was just as pent-up and horny as he was.

How could Johnny refuse such a kind invitation? “Give me the address and I’ll be over tonight,” he grinned. As ready to go as he was, he still had enough blood left in his brain to have the wherewithal to know walking to a motel in broad daylight alongside a civilian was a bad idea.

After getting the address and flying off with a cheeky salute, Johnny counted the minutes until the sun finally set, signaling it was time for him to get a move on to the motel. Hopefully the excitement of the first one-night stand he’s had in a _ long _time would get him to stop worrying about his feelings for Spider-Man.

He took his bike to the motel, not wanting to burn up his civvies on the way there, even if the night was going to end with his clothes on the floor. Pulling up, he stood in front of the room Parker told him he’d be in and knocked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Johnny shouldn’t be this nervous. Why was he this nervous?

After what seemed like an eternity, Peter finally opened the damn door and pulled Johnny inside, not wasting a single second and planting a hot, wet kiss right on his lips parted in shock.

God, he was a good kisser. Johnny had his hands cupping Parker’s ridiculously supple ass when he pulled away for air, squeezing in wonder as to how the hell a simple photographer got such firm glutes. “You gotta tell me your lifting routine,” Johnny murmured, homing in on Parker’s exposed pulse point.

“Should I do that before or after you pin me to that mattress and fuck me ‘til I can’t walk straight?” 

Johnny’s knees felt weak. “After, after,” Johnny gasped, tearing off his jacket. 

Parker took the opportunity to start stripping too, though he hadn’t been all that dressed when Johnny had shown up - maybe to prepare for the occasion? Either way, Johnny couldn’t stop staring at the muscle definition _ everywhere _on Parker’s body. Holy shit, he almost stopped all this just so Parker could give him some pointers for the gym. Almost.

Once his pants and boxers were flung god-knows-where, he grabbed Parker by the arm and kissed him senseless before playfully pushing him face-first towards the bed. The photographer got on all fours, back muscles shifting sensually under his skin, begging for Johnny to come get a taste.

Without hesitation, Johnny followed Parker onto the mattress and sunk his teeth into those ridges, sliding his hands down his sides. After getting his taste, he began peppering kisses down Parker’s back, lips grazing strangely not-smooth skin for someone who was in a cushy job like Parker was. There were scars littering his back, large as if they’d been put there by some sort of giant bird of prey. 

Wait. Johnny knew these scars. Running his fingers over them to make doubly sure he wasn’t just seeing things, wasn’t projecting his feelings for Spider-Man onto this unsuspecting photographer, he gasped. No way. No _ fucking _way.

These were _ the _ scars. Scars from wounds Johnny had tended to after a particularly hard fight, gingerly disinfecting them with as much care as he could possibly muster, because they were _ Spidey’s _wounds. 

Johnny slowly pulled back, sitting on his haunches without saying a single word. After a few beats, Parker - Spidey - ugh, what was Johnny supposed to call him now? - got the sense that something was wrong.

“What’s up, Storm? See something you don’t like?” His voice was shaky, and Johnny had to say something to reassure him that he was literally the most beautiful person he’d ever met, inside and out. But he had to put the breaks on that, it was way too much, too soon.

It took a few more seconds for Johnny to regain his voice, but he’d put a hand on Parker’s thigh in silent confirmation that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“I - I… Spidey, is that… are you? Peter Parker… Spider-Man?” Okay, maybe his voice hadn’t completely come back, but those scant few words were enough to get Peter’s attention. His eyes widened in shock, and he froze just as Johnny had, both of them naked as the day they were born.

They remained still for the next few moments, gazes locked and bodies frozen. 

Parker was the first to speak. “How did you-”

“The scars.”

He slapped a hand to his forehead, muttering, “I knew something felt off.”

Johnny finally let go of Peter, feeling far too exposed in the moment once the haze of lust had worn off. “You… did you plan this?”

“What? No! _ You _were the one who approached me, even after I told you to go after someone with powers!”

“What about To - Taskmaster?”

“We’re not in a relationship, Johnny. We just… fuck sometimes.”

“Is that what we were gonna be? Occasional fuck buddies?” Johnny couldn’t keep the hurt out of his voice, but he the shock was wearing off and the reality of the situation was setting in. 

Spidey slowly raised his head, looking with confusion at Johnny. “Would that have been so bad? I mean, I’ve thought about doing this with you for a while now…” 

Huh? 

He had?

“I never wanted us to just have sex!” Johnny cried, though he slapped a hand over his mouth when he realized what he’d said. Not that he regretted saying it, aside from the fact that Spidey was probably gonna gently reject him like the nice asshole he was, and ask if they could possibly still be friends?

It was all bullshit.

Johnny was silently bracing himself for the friendzone when he felt warm hands grip his shoulder, and once he looked up, his lips were instantly caught in a soft kiss.

As tame as it was, Johnny couldn’t think of a kiss that felt better than the one Parker had him in right now.

Pulling away reluctantly, Parker took Johnny’s hands in his and looked right into his eyes. “I - Johnny, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think at all about your feelings, I just thought that… knowing the kind of relationships you’d had before… you wouldn’t want me. I’m not attractive like you are, I don’t have any money, and I’m a nerd - why would you ever want to be with me?”

Johnny scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You’re ‘not attractive’? My dick was so hard I was afraid it was gonna pop right off my body. And you know me, webs. You know I don’t care about those kinds of things.”

Peter’s gaze softened, and Johnny felt frozen in time, heart skipping multiple beats as he saw his expression grow impossibly fond. Johnny _ had _ to kiss him, just as softly as Peter had kissed him before.

“So, I know your dick is in danger of popping off your crotch, but I believe we were in the middle of something before all this touchy-feely stuff.”

Johnny rolled his eyes. Leave it to Spidey to ruin the moment.

Not that it stopped Johnny from pinning Peter onto his back, leaving a long trail of kisses from his neck to his stomach before making Peter see the stars Johnny had come here to make him see.

* * *

Johnny hadn’t expected Spider-Man to be a post-coital snuggler, but was he complaining? Absolutely not. He felt like he was on top of the world with Peter in his arms, hugging him close as they matched their breathing.

Too ecstatic to fall asleep, Johnny pulled out his phone and scrolled through his twitter feed, only to see a picture of the two of them earlier that afternoon, captured right at the moment when Parker had _ propositioned _him.

That was as good a way as any to make it known that Peter was _ his _. Not Taskmaster’s, not Black Cat’s, nobody but his. He just had to figure out a way to get someone to take a picture of him and Peter in his suit kissing, preferably on top of the Washington Square arch. He’d always been a hopeless romantic.

“What’re you smiling about up there?” Spidey groggily mumbled, poking at Johnny’s cheek. 

“Someone took a picture of us planning to get our freak on,” He held out his phone for Peter to see. His eyes widened when he saw the caption, which read, _ Good to see Johnny storm rebounding real quick after the Times Square incident. _

Placing a hand on Johnny’s chest, Peter looked up at him with worried eyes. “You okay with them saying that? That was uncalled for-”

“Doesn’t matter,” Johnny grinned, tipping Peter’s chin up for a kiss. “A thousand shitty breakups were worth it just for this moment.”

The feeling of Peter smiling against his lips was unlike any other Johnny had known before. “It might be too early to say this, but…”

“I love you,” Johnny interrupted, beating Peter to the punch.

“Hey! What the hell, I wanted to be the one that said it first,” Peter grumbled, mashing his face petulantly against Johnny’s pecs.

Brushing a hand through Peter’s hair, Johnny murmured, “I still wanna hear it.”

“Alright. I love you, Flamebrain, even if you are a dirty moment-stealer.”

“Ooh, that was weak, Parker. Try harder.”

“Stupid good-looking asshole,” Peter growled, pushing Johnny onto his back so he could attack him with kisses.

If he was being honest, Johnny had never been happier. And judging by the goofy, lovestruck expression on Peter’s face between the moments of them sucking face, Peter was feeling the same way.

**Author's Note:**

> Please follow me on twitter im begging you [@rideoutthestorm](https://twitter.com/rideoutthestorm)


End file.
